The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Recliner mechanisms and latch mechanisms are conventionally used in conjunction with a seat assembly to permit angular adjustment of a seatback relative to a seat bottom. For example, recliner mechanisms are typically disposed at a junction of the seatback and the seat bottom to permit selective movement of the seatback relative to the seat bottom and, further, to lock the seatback in a plurality of angular positions relative to a seat bottom.
Latch mechanisms are similarly used to lock a position of a seatback relative to a seat bottom, but do not typically allow angular adjustment of a seatback relative to a seat bottom. Namely, latch mechanisms typically engage a striker that is fixedly mounted to a structure of a vehicle and, as such, lock the seatback to the striker in one angular position relative to the seat bottom. Conventional latch mechanisms, therefore, while adequately locking an angular position of a seatback relative to a seat bottom, do not allow for movement of the seatback into different angular positions relative to the seat bottom.